Hide Mouse Pointer When Typing

Does your mouse pointer get in the way while you're typing? Wish there was a way to just make it go away, then pop back up after the deluge of keystrokes subsides? Well, I have just the solution, my friends!

For Windows XP:

Click Start>Settings>Control Panel and then double click Mouse.

In the Mouse Properties window, click on the Pointer Options tab and you will see a check box that says "Hide Pointer While Typing". Click the checkmark in that box and click Apply, then OK. You're all set!

For Windows Vista and Windows 7:

Much the same operation here. Click Start>Control Panel>Mouse>Pointer Options. The same checkbox is present so put a check in it click Apply and then OK.

Note: In Windows 7, if you don't see "mouse", make sure your list view is set for "Small Icons".



Let's hear it for unobtrusive mouse pointers!

~Andrew

A lovely reader request! Rate or add to this tip here!

---



Worldstart Trivia!

Get over to the Worldstart site right now and tell us:

"In what year was the "@" chosen for its use in e-mail addresses?"

Think you've got the answer? Go on and prove it, then!

WOW!!! These were flyin' off our shelves yesterday...we were going nuts just trying to keep up with all the orders!!! You'll want to be sure to grab yours and a few for stocking stuffers...before we sell out!!

I seriously can't believe this is a keychain! 

You are totally gonna LOVE this! Heck, it's not just a cool keychain - it's a complete weather station AND amazing alarm clock! Holy cool gadgets batman!! And wait till you see the knock-out deal too - I'd eagerly pay twice as much for this and I'd do it with a big 'ol grin on my face!

OK, let's start with the weather station part - this is a jaw dropper! We're really and truly talkin' a full fledged weather station - ON YOUR KEYCHAIN!! Really!!!

You'll have BOTH the current TEMPERATURE (Fahrenheit or Celsius)

and HUMIDITY!

PLUS...

It can actually FORECAST the weather for you!!

Incredible!! - Just a quick glance at your keychain tells you if you should expect rain or shine (or overcast, or whatever)! Hey - it even has a little face on it to tell you if you should be happy about the weather you got comin' your way! :)

Oh, and since it's a keychain, it's made to travel! In addition to all the amazing weather info it sends your way, this also has the TIME and DATE and an easy to use ALARM CLOCK !!!

Just think - if you forget your watch, you just look at your keychain! Heck, who needs to wear a watch anymore when you have this baby?

Plus, you're absolutely gonna love the alarm clock! Set it when your home or away and never miss a wake-up or appointment! How cool is that? I have mine set for when I need to pick my kids up from school - and I plan to use it this weekend as an alarm clock when I'm out of town! It even has a little leg that flips out to hold it upright! Cool as January in Alaska baby!!

Did I mention it also has a really great backlight for when it's dark? So cool...

I tell ya, not only is this a FANTASTIC way to hold your keys, but you can hang 'em on stuff too! Grab an extra for your backpack, purse, camera bag, or laptop case! Just clip it on and use it for the time, temp, humidity, date, or as an alarm so you don't forget somethin' - gotta be the coolest thing ever!

Oh yeah - and the deal is gonna blow you out of the water like a nuclear powered torpedo!! 

We're talkin' just $12.97 and US shipping is FREE! Heck, it's worth $12.97 just to show this baby off to your friends! Pull your jaw back up off your desk and RUN over to the site and pick up a few of these bad boys!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5417

WARNING! 
DANGER! 
WATCH OUT! 

This is a limited quantity deal! You know how that goes - better sprint on over to the site as fast as your mouse will take ya and get your before they sell out! Hmm... These look like they'd fit good in a stocking too, ya know? Just sayin...

You Begged - And Pleaded...So We Brought 'Em Back!!! That's right...we had to beg our supplier to get another shipment of these awesome Voice Recognition Alarm Clocks just for you!! You'll want to be sure to grab yours before they're GONE!!!

Most Ingenious Alarm Clock EVER!!!

Set The Time & Alarm With Just Your Voice!!!

WOW!!! Super Easy To Use!!!

No More Setting The Wrong Time For Your Alarm - Ever Again!!!

Always Wake Up On Time!!!

Don't Spend $44 At Amazon!!!

You've never seen an alarm clock like this before!!!! Just imagine a world where your alarm would ALWAYS go off at the right time!!! Wouldn't it be great not to have to rush around in th morning or worry about waking up late?? Your alarm will ALWAYS be set for 7:00 AM - not 7:00 PM, so no worries :-)!!! With this ingenious NEW Voice Recognition Alarm Clock - you can live in that world!!

Now...I know what you're thinking...all that "supposedly" easy to use voice recognition stuff never works!! Well...guess what?!?! This one actually DOES work!!! Don't believe me?? Check out the video here:

Like I said...this is super easy to use!!! Just simply push the Voice Set button and it asks you if you want to set the time or set the alarm. Then you simply answer the question. Then it will ask you what time you want the alarm or the clock set at - including AM or PM. Just answer the questions and YOU'RE IN BUSINESS!!! You'll always be sure that you're setting your alarm clock for the right time!!

There are only 3 buttons to use too...so no more getting confused!! How many times have you seen alarm clocks that have 10 to 15 buttons??? Probably to many to count!! The Voice Set button you use to set the time and your alarm, the Alarm button you use to turn the alarm on and off, and the SNOOZE/LIGHT button is used to snooze and turn on the blue backlight.

Now, the Snooze/Light button may not seem important to you at first, but believe me - it is!!! Most alarm clocks have annoyingly bright LCD lights that keep you up while trying fall asleep!! I can't tell you how many articles on getting a better night's sleep I've read...every single one said turn your clock away from you, so you can't see the time. With this alarm clock...you can have the best of both worlds!! Keep your alarm clock facing you, but if you want to check the time, just press the button and the back light will come on for 5 seconds...so you can check the time. How cool is that?!?!?

This alarm clock is perfect for everyday use at home or in your office. It's super compact and durable design makes it easy for you to grab it from your night stand and throw it in your duffle bag, briefcase or suitcase while traveling!! No more having to deal with those unreliable hotel alarm clocks either - or trying to figure them out - for that matter!! This is gonna be the alarm clock for you...no matter where you lay your head at night!! Plus it has a magnetic door - so the LCD display and your favorite picture are protected when traveling :-).

Just when you didn't think it could get any better...it does!! You can easily stick your favorite photo on the magnetic closure...so you can see your dog, family, or whatever - very first thing when you rise and shine!!! Since it's magnetic, its super easy to change the picture...just snap off the magnetic matt, put your favorite picture inside and snap the matt back on!! It's really THAT EASY!!!

Get this...your price today is $14.97 and US Shipping is FREE!!! These things are over $36.00 on Amazon - plus you include almost $8 for shipping and handling - you're looking at nearly $44!!! Now that's insane!!!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5415

PS - This is gonna make you sleep like a baby...no more worrying about your alarm NOT going off!!!

Q:
I’ve heard that people are advised to “format and reinstall Windows”. What does this mean? Is it a task to be performed habitually? When do I know if I have to do it?

A:
Great question!
First things first. Formatting is when you delete everything off of your hard disk. This includes Windows, which is why you have to reinstall it.

You should never have to format unless your computer is completely beyond all help. There are a few possible reasons responsible for this. Maybe you caught a virus (and I don’t mean one that puts you in bed with chicken soup and Vicks) which has destroyed any way for the computer to function. Or maybe your Uncle Bob came over and wanted to “play on your computer for awhile”, found a folder that looked interesting, pressed a couple of keys that he shouldn’t have and deleted some files. You go in that night to get on your computer and the Windows screen never even comes up. It seems that nothing you do can make your computer work. You pretty much need to start all over, and that means to format (wipe ALL of the data off of your hard drive) and install a brand new copy of Windows.

In the “old” days (around the time when Windows 95 was being used), there was a consensus among some people that reformatting was a great way to keep your computer running smoothly and quickly all of the time. I had a computer technician tell me to be sure and do it every six months. Nice concept, but it is a lot of work and there are tools out there that can help you keep that computer humming without you having to go through the pain of reinstalling Windows. In addition, if you don’t know how or don’t feel comfortable reformatting, you will end up spending money on taking it to your local computer store to have them do it. Finally, if you are going to format your computer, you have to back up all of your files and data because when you erase the hard drive, you lose it all.

About a month ago my anti-virus program disappeared. For no reason. When I tried to reinstall the program, it would go all the way to the end of the installation and just -- disappear. Without reinstalling it. Now I had no virus protection.

Alas, I had been hit with a pretty bad virus known as a Trojan horse. Basically, Trojans are programs written to get into somebody’s computer without their consent and can wreak incredible havoc on your system. This Trojan was so good that it destroyed anything I touched and then made it reappear again so that I thought I was making progress. I was not, and after 6 LONG days of trying everything I could amongst uttering a lot of choice expletives, I gave up the ghost. I had to reformat.

Formatting is a lot to go through habitually. Clean out your files from time to time and use some of the excellent software programs out there that are designed specifically to keep your computer running smoothly.

In summation: Only reformat when you have to!

~Lori

Make sure you back all of your stuff up first! Don't forget to rate or add to this tip, either!



Sending to Some, But Not All

Do you use distribution lists in MS Outlook?

I know I do. I love that I can group together message recipients under one name which allows me to quickly address any message by choosing the list name instead of all those individual addresses.

But, what about the times when you need to send a message to only some of the people on the list?

Do you have to create separate lists?

Let's hope not because it could definitely become a challenge to name them in a meaningful way, especially when the lists contain many of the same people.

And, since we all know that I'd never suggest you should go back to adding each address individually, I have an alternative that truly is a pretty efficient method of dealing with just this situation.

Obviously we need a message open and addressed to one of our distribution lists.



See the little plus sign next to the list name? It indicates that it's a list and can be expanded so that you can see its contents.

So… click the plus sign.

Outlook will warn you that you're about to expand the distribution list and this cannot be undone (at least in this message). Click Ok.

The name of your distribution list will be replaced by a list of the individual addresses.

At this point just highlight and delete any addresses of people you don't want to receive this particular message.

There you have it… a very efficient way to send a message to some - but not all - of a distribution list.

~ April

Just look at it! What an awesome Office Tip! Rate or add to it here!

Super Awesome AC Power Adapter!

Easily Charge USB Devices From Any Outlet!!!

Don't Spend 25 Bucks In The Store!!!

Today Only - Just $7.97!!!

If you use any kind of a USB device, this is a MUST-HAVE! This Travel USB A/C Wall Charger easily allows you to adapt your USB charging cable to work from any 110V AC outlet!

Simply plug your USB cord into the wall adapter (and the device you're using of course) and you're good to go! You can use it to charge your iPod, MP3/MP4 player, PDA or mobile phone! Talk about super easy to use ~ this is going to make traveling so much easier! And, it keeps my daughter's iPod off my computer desk (she's constantly charging it)!

And, you can also use this to power your USB devices! If you have any of those cool gadgets that go to your PC or laptop (mini-fans, lights, etc.) that are powered by a USB port, now you can use them anywhere! No need to use up all your USB ports or have to hook and unhook cables all the time! Pretty clever, huh?

This is such a cool little gadget~ I know you're all going to love it too! And, today only (11-25-2009) at only $7.97 (FREE shipping in US included) ~ it's an incredible deal! Check it out:

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=3587

Updating Your iPod
Do you own an iPod? If so, when was the last time you updated it? What's that you say? It's been awhile? Not sure how to go about getting the update done? Then you need today's featured tip over at Worldstart!

wikiHow
It's the "How-to manual that anyone can edit!" Curious about something like that? Then you need to get over to Worldstart today and check out our featured Cool Site!

Here's the link you need: http://www.worldstart.com/ Enjoy!



Reduce PC Bootup Time using MSConfig

Does your PC take a long time to boot? Do you always have to wait and stare at the screen while all the start-up applications load? Does the long wait bother you and do u wish you could make it faster? MSConfig is a nifty Windows tool which allows you to do exactly this as described below.

MSConfig stands for Microsoft System Configuration Utility (known as System Configuration in Windows Vista) and is a tool which is present in Windows 98, XP and Vista. Windows 2000 users can download and use this tool, if required.

Note: Windows 95 users are not considered here, as the operating system is hardly in use. However, they can also download and try the tool at their own risk.

How to Access the MSConfig Window

The MSConfig Window can be opened by navigating to the Run menu (Start >Run) and typing “msconfig”.
A screenshot is shown below



There are 5 tabs in the MSConfig utility and they are discussed in detail below

The General Tab

The screenshot shown below indicates the general tab. It gives you a choice of 3 options



- Normal Startup: Used when the system is behaving as expected.
- Diagnostic Startup: Used to troubleshoot when the system is not behaving as expected.
- Selective Startup: Used in order to selectively load System Services & Startup Items

The Boot Tab

The screenshot shown below indicates the Boot tab.



It lists the various operating systems which have currently been installed and provides the ability to tweak various boot settings etc. Options such as Safe Boot, a Boot Log, the timeout delay (for a list of OS’s) etc can be modified here. Beginners should approach this section with caution, and avoid changing anything unnecessarily.

The Services Tab

The screenshot shown below indicates the Services tab.



The table lists the various services which have been installed currently and denotes the status of each service (Running, Stopped etc.) Select any service and click on Enable or Disable as appropriate. The “Hide all Microsoft services” checkbox can be used to prevent tampering with system services unnecessarily. This tab can be used to prevent unnecessary services from running in the background and consuming critical memory resources.

The Startup Tab

The screenshot shown below indicates the Startup tab.



This tab indicates the various applications which have been configured to load at start-up. This primarily includes applications which run in the System Tray and in the background. Certain common applications are the Winamp Agent, WinZip, QuickTime Player, Yahoo/Gtalk/MSN Messengers, Windows Sidebar, Antivirus/Spyware Scanners etc. One can enable or disable applications from loading at start-up as required.

The Tools Tab

The screenshot shown below indicates the Tools tab.



This can be used as a launch-pad to launch various tools within Windows such as System Information, Programs, System Restore etc.

Step-By-Step Process to Reduce Bootup Time

Warning: This should only be attempted by a professional. If you have any concerns, contact you resident guru before you begin! Worldstart will not be held liable for any damage done to your PC from these next steps.

- Identify list of services which need to run necessarily at start-up

- Identify list of start-up applications which are required. Keep this to as small a number as possible. [Only the essentials should be retained]

- Open MSConfig from Run menu

- Click on the Services Tab and Disable all the services which are not required. Ensure that the “Hide all Microsoft Services” checkbox is ticked as a safety measure.

- Click on the Start-up Tab and Disable all the applications which are not required to be loaded at start-up.

- Click on OK.

- When prompted to restart the machine, close all applications and restart Windows.

- The start-up time should be reduced. The magnitude of the reduction depends upon the number of start-up applications and the services which have been disabled and the relative load of each of these upon the system.

- In case any of the disabled services/applications are required at start-up, run MSConfig again, make the necessary changes and restart the system again.

- As a safety precaution, make a note of the services and applications being disabled so that it helps you troubleshoot in the case of an error.

- Periodically monitor the number of start-up applications and services to ensure that memory is not being blocked by unnecessary applications.

Advantages of using MSConfig

- MSConfig offers a simpler graphical interface to make changes to the System Configuration without having to manually edit the Registry, Boot.INI or AutoRun.INI files.

- The diagnostic mode is especially helpful in the event of system errors for troubleshooting purposes

~Deepak Kannan

I've always wanted to know about that stuff! Rate or add to this tip here!



Safe Browsing

I always say you shouldn't go to Web sites you don't trust, but what if you're not sure if you can trust a certain site or not? What do you do then? This type of problem is pretty common and in the past, it has left me wondering what to do. Well, today, I have a very easy answer to that question!

The answer is a service by Google called Google Safe Browsing Diagnostic. With this tool, you can type a Web address into your browser's address bar and get a report from Google, telling you whether the site is safe or not.

Here's how you do it:

First, you will need this address: http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=www.worldstart.com

The address above is what you can use to get a report. If you copy the exact address from above and paste it into your Web browser, you will get a report about www.worldstart.com that looks like this:



Pretty neat, huh?! Now, that's great for seeing a report about WorldStart, but you already know we're safe, so what about a report for another Web site?

To see a report about any other site, simply use the exact same address as above, but change the end of it. See the part at the end that says “www.worldstart.com?” Just erase that and type in any other Web address. For example, if you changed it to: http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=www.aol.com, you would get a report for AOL's safety rating.

The Google Safe Browsing Diagnostic is very nice to use for checking a Web site before you visit it. If you want, you can bookmark it and use it whenever you need it. Until next time, stay safe out there, my friends!

~ Gary

What a neat trick! I feel safer now! Don't forget to rate or add to this tip, though!

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Disapproving Rabbits

Every now and then I just need something cute in my life to cheer me up. Disapproving Rabbits certainly delivers the cuteness! The best way I can think of to describe them is to tell you to think of them like LOLcats only with disapproving serious faced bunnies with funny captions!

The page is setup blog style so all you have to do is scroll down the page to get your fill of cute –err- disapproving bunnies. Once you reach the end of the page click the Older Posts link to see more.

A couple pages in, there is a wonderful video they posted of a veteran being greeted by his dachshunds on return from Iraq. That just warmed my heart completely. I love those kinds of moments, it seems like all our media focuses on is the negatives so it is always like a bonus when you can find something relevant that has a feel good factor to it.

Another thing I like about this site is that they’re dedicated to helping bunnies get adopted, so you’ll probably see lots of adoption posts. I think it is a great way for them to use their platform to do the bunny community some good.

So what are you waiting for? There are lots of bunnies just waiting to disapprove of your viewing them!

http://www.disapprovingrabbits.com/

~Amanda

Well, at least I approve! Rate or add to this tip here!

Do you have a cool, non-commercial site that you want to share?
Send it to Amanda at amanda@worldstart.com

WOW! These went like C-R-A-Z-Y on Friday and over the weekend! We've had some hot sellers lately, but the way we're blowin' through these is just incredible! This is destined to be the hottest seller of the year - heck, maybe the last 5 years! To say this is incredibly popular is an understatement! THANK YOU to the hundreds and hundreds who ordered! I can't promise how long these will last - better get to the site before they completely sell out!

WOW! Super-Smokin' Hot!!

FINALLY!!!

Transfer VHS, DVDs, And Home Videos To Your Computer!

Even Better -

Transfer Old VHS Tapes To DVD (Or Even Video CD)!



At Last - Get Those Old Camcorder Movies To DVD!

Amazing Little Transfer Device Is A MUST-HAVE!

OK, let me guess - you have a bunch of old VHS tapes sitting around and wish there was some way to put 'em on DVD. Maybe you have a bunch of home movies you shot with a camcorder and wish you could get 'em on DVD, but just don't know how. Well, we just discovered an amazing little device that's going to make all those wishes come true! Wait till you see this!

It's the incredible EasyCap Video Capture Box and it takes your videos and transfers 'em to your computer (then onto DVD or Video CD)! How's that for cool?

How's it work? Pretty simple really. You just plug your VCR / DVD Player / Video Camera into the standard Audio / Video inputs on this device (or, for even better quality - plug into the "S" Video plug). Pretty easy so far huh? Now, just plug the EasyCap into your USB port and run the software! 

To transfer, just hit PLAY on your VCR (or DVD player, or camcorder, or whatever) and RECORD on the included software! That's really it! This can record ANYTHING that you can plug into it! Old VHS movies, your favorite home videos, even copy DVDs to your computer so you can watch them on an iPod or portable video player! Pretty sweet huh?



If you have a closet full of old VHS tapes, why let them deteriorate to the point of no longer being playable? Hey, VHS doesn't have that long of a shelf life - 15 years is probably optimistic. If you have a stack of VHS tapes that you want to keep, you absolutely HAVE to get them transferred to something more reliable - and this makes it easy!

Besides, when was the last time you saw a new VHS player at a store? Doesn't happen very often now - they are an endangered species, and they aren't far from permanent extinction! The day is coming where even if you WANT to buy a VHS player to look at those old tapes it simply isn't going to be an option! Better transfer 'em while you can!

Oh, and do you have a camcorder that uses an odd-sized tape - you know, so you have to hook the camcorder up to the TV to see your videos? Well, why not hook that little camcorder up to this and finally get all those tapes transferred over to digital? From there, you can enjoy them on your computer or create your own DVD / Video CD to watch in a standard DVD player! (That's right - you don't even need a DVD burner on your computer - you can make a Video CD that will play in any standard DVD player!)

Plus, everything is really easy to work with - so you'll be able to get things transferred over in no time! Really, just plug in a couple cords, follow the software prompts, and you're good to go! Why let your tapes fade into an analog ether? This can save 'em before it's too late!

Your cost? Get this - Just $29.97 and US Shipping is FREE! For that kind of money, it's crazy not to grab this and start transferring all those old VHS tapes and camcorder movies to your computer or DVD! Heck, this can even record from a DVD player if you need an extra copy of something! Check it out, but hurry - this is something we've had a LOT of requests for and now that it's finally here, it's bound to fly!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5249

PS - Don't miss out - this little gadget makes transferring your old VHS / Camcorder tapes to DVD incredibly easy - get yours today

November Wallpaper

Here's this month's free calendar wallpaper! As always, it's 100% free, so head on over and grab one!

	Hummingbird (Photo contest winner) Hummingbird eating nectar from a flower.
	Undine Falls
	Smoky Mountain Rainbow

If this part of the newsletter is all you see, take it up with your ISP. We've been seeing a lot of interference from filters and such lately.

We now offer an RSS feed. Click for details

Another great way to get your WorldStart newsletters is by downloading the Newsletter Reader. It's the next step in newsletter evolution! And it's FREE!
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You can also view the current newsletter and archives online at
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ISSN: 1529-336X
Copyright 2009, WorldStart. All unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited.

You are welcome to reproduce this newsletter (i.e. print it, store it) for your own personal use. You are also welcome to forward it, in its entirety, to friends and family.

If you would like to reproduce this publication, or any part of it, in any other publication, be it web based or otherwise, you must contact us for permission. Any unauthorized re-distribution will be considered a copyright infringement and grounds for a lawsuit.

Finally, you agree to try any advice contained or suggested in this newsletter at your own risk.

Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation (duh!)

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